Group members will serve as lead organizers for the Democratic Youth Network and liaisons for YIHR in their respective countries. They will contribute directly to topical discussions and help compile resources for youth engagement and professional development, and advise YIHR on the needs of the community and provide feedback related to the experience of the website. Here we present you some of the Advisory Group members:

Bakhtiyar Hajiyev: 27 years old, from Azerbaijan. Bakhtiyar is a recent graduate of Harvard University, Kennedy School of Government with a Master of Public Policy degree. He was the UN Youth respresentative of Azerbaijan in 2005, founding Member Committee President of AIESEC(World's largest student organization) in Azerbaijan. Bakhtiyar's civic activisim started with an initiative against corruption in education system of the Republic of Azerbaijan. Currently, he continues to work on Transparent Education Network, funded and implemented by Education Development Center Inc.

Pavel Marozau:
Position and Organization: Coordinator, The Third Way
Citizenship and Location: Belarus, Tallinn, Estonia
Languages Spoken: English, Russian, Belarusian
Birth date: 11.10.1978
Experience as a political activist: leader of Belarusan Ruch International, The Third Way network. Elections 2006, Alexander Kozulin campaign.
What made me decide to become politically active: closing my university in Belarus (www.ehu.lt) and referendum about Lukashenkas presidentship prolongation forever. Both in 2004. Before master course in EHU on political science/ngo management Before 6 years in NGO sector in Belarus.
Most valuable experience with the EEYPL: seminar in Moldova

Valentina Jarnjak: People say that one of the hardest things is to talk about ourselves. When you can be objective in that area, then there is nothing standing in your way to success.
I am 23 years old and always trying to behave a lot older. Soon I will graduate at law school, and last year I also started the college of entrepreneurship and economics. Although I don’t see myself as a lawyer in the future, I wish to pass this last exam as soon as possible and find my place in the academic world.
I speak, or at least trying to, three languages, German, Spanish and English. I finished music school with piano, and have professionally trained basketball for 8 years.
My political activism started when I was only 17 years old and joined to Democratic center Party. I was always very fond in watching the news, and observing our resent politicians and political situation in Croatia. When I joined my Party, it was the youngest and the smallest Party in Croatian Parliament.
My way into politics may seem very ordinary, so why is everybody so shocked about it? I think I may know the reason. My uncle has been the member of HDZ (the leading Party in Croatia for the past 18 years) since 1992. During the war, he was minister of Police, and since then stayed high positioned in politics. Since 2003, he is one of the most powerful politicians in Croatia.
Now you can maybe understand why people in Croatia find it so strange for me to join Democratic center Party, when I have an uncle in the leading Party who can give me whatever I want. That is the way of thinking in Croatia, and that is one of the things I’m fighting against for the last 5 years.
President of my Party gave me a great opportunity from the start, so I have been on lot of positions in my Party so far. I’m mostly proud that last year, I was the youngest first candidate in one of the electorates since the independence of Croatia.
Now, I am the president of the Youth organization in my Party, and the spokeswoman of my Party. After all of this, I have to be honest and say that EEYPL network last year in Belgrade, made me understand that election results aren’t the most important thing in my life. In Belgrade, we brought up together so many different cultures, religions and even political beliefs, and upon all, during our stay, together we tried to find solutions to our problems, and we all thought as one. Thank you all for that.

Ilia Markov: I was born on 17 March 1984 in Sofia, Bulgaria. After I graduated from high school I decided to continue my education in Great Britain where I attended the University of Essex, pursuing a BA degree in International Relations & Politics.
As you can see my fascination with politics dates from high school. I became actively interested in politics and especially international affairs after the 11 September events. I became member of Bulgarian Socialist Youth in the beginning of 2003, a little before I graduated from school. After I completed my studies I returned to Bulgaria I became actively involved in a) our family-run business and b) Bulgarian Socialist Youth (and its mother-party the BSP).
I was elected to the national leadership of the BSY in November, 2006 - I became political and press secretary of the organization and have held these positions since then. My experience allowed me to meet with many people and put me in many situations which hardened my resolve that there is not alternative to the successful reformation and democratization of my society.
My most valuable experience with EEYPL was the Belgrade Seminar from November 2007 where I met many different people - both tutors and participants and learned a lot of new things.
My most joyous experience was when I won the Presidential Campaign Simulation organized by IRI in Instabul, Turkey, June 2008.

Anna Tsurkan: I was born in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsy, Russia (9 hours by plane from Moscow :). I am 23. Till I finished school I had been thinking I would become a dancing teacher. I had been dancing since I got 5. But I had a problem with my knee, so I changed my direction. I entered the Institute for US and Canadian Studies, Russian Academy of Sciences. A year ago I graduated and became a phd-student at the same university. Now I am a specialist in international relations (international security). The topic of my degree work is "Radical islam: estimates and possibilites for Russian-American cooperation". I also work in Moscow government. When I entered the university, I understood that the only career I want to build is political. I love my country. And I want to live only here. But the political regime and level of life I see here now is far from what I want to see here in future. I want to change this country. Yes, we can :) A year ago, when I attended seminar in Serbia, I was a new member of the Russian Social-Democratic Union of Youth. Since that time I became one of the key figures in my region (Moscow). I use a lot of skills I got there, like development of central message, on-camera trainings, fund raising... and so on.

George Gamkrelidze: I was born on March 4, 1981 in Tbilisi, Georgia. I am a graduate of Tbilisi State University, the Commerce and Marketing Department and I am a master of economy. Currently I work at the Georgian Trade Union Confederation as a senior social-economic analyst.
In 2008 I undertook an internship at the Sejm of the Republic of Poland organized under the auspices of the Speaker of the Sejm, in cooperation with the University of Warsaw. I am an alumni of the research program for Young Researchers funded by the Polish Government. Thus in 2006-2007 in the framework of the mentioned above program I was a researcher at the University of Gdansk, Faculty of Social Sciences, Institute of Political Sciences.
I am an Advisory Group Member of the EEYPL Network which promotes cross-border dialogue among young political and civic leaders. In the framework of this network I participated in seminars which were dedicated developing leadership skills for young political leaders. At the same time I am actively involved in cross border dialogue and keep partnership relations with democracy supporting institutes NDI and IRI. Besides, I am a member of the Team Europe Georgia which gathers professionals from Georgian government and NGOs, hence I am eligible to conduct lectures on European subjects. I am actively involved in fields which are related to integration of Georgia in NATO and protection of democracy. In the frames of he mission of OSCE I observed elections in Ukraine, Tajikistan, Moldova and Kyrgyzstan. In domestic policy field I am interested in issues which are related to protection of democracy, election observation process and reform in court system. What concerns to foreign policy I am mostly focused on issues related Georgia’s NATO integration and global energy security of Euro-Atlantic area.